Yoga and meditation can be a great help

You don't have to tie youself up in knots or stand on your head to practise the ancient art of yoga. It can be practised by anyone, practically anywhere and at any time.

De-stress your life with yoga and meditation Marriage breakdown and divorce are de-stabilising and distressing events, ranking right up there with death in the stress stakes and inevitably you will feel that you may never regain a calm, centred life. There are, however, few better ways to achieve self-awareness and inner calmness in your life after divorce than through the practice of yoga and meditation.

Yoga stretches the body and relaxes the mind and is, in it's own right, a form of meditation.

What is yoga? Yoga originated in India more than five thousand years ago and is a Hindu system of philosophy that aims to unite physical health with a tranquil mind. Yoga is the Sanskrit word for union and describes the experience of being at one with your inner self.

Hatha yoga is the most commonly practised form of yoga in the UK focussing on postures and breath control. The word Hatha is made up of two parts ha meaning sun and tha meaning moon. These represent the positive and negative energy flows in the body and Hatha yoga balances and regulates these.

Yoga equipment - A yoga mat is essential. About the length and breadth of a door and as thick as a piece of carpet, the mat becomes your yoga space, providing cushioning on hard floors creating traction for your hands and feet so you don’t slip. Other than your mat all you need to practise yoga is comfortable, loose or flexible clothing. Yoga is most often performed barefoot.

Learning yoga A class is the best way to begin (and a easy way for a recently divorced person to meet people). Classes for yoga are offered at gymnasiums and health clubs but lots of classes are held in local halls and community centres. yoga.co.uk may help you find a class in your area as can The British Wheel Of Yoga but notices in shop windows and the local press often give details of where to find one.

When you experience on-going stress it is as if you are living in a permanent state of fight or flight agitation – you will have had enough of that before your divorce without continuing with it afterwards. Meditation can help by restoring the mind and body to an equable state.

Meditation Meditation involves clearing your mind. This is not as easy as it sounds. For example, sitting comfortably and concentrating on something simple, such as your breathing or a relaxing sound, can be a route to a meditative state. Once in deep relaxation, the frenzied activity in the brain slows down and all the confusion and clutter lifts from the mind.

There are different forms of meditation. Some are based around concentration, as with the popular transcendental meditation and there are other more spiritual forms that involve using meditation as prayer.

Whichever type of meditation you choose, it is important to follow a routine of meditating in the same place at the same time each day for approximately twenty minutes at a time.

And, of course, it's freeOne of the benefits of meditation is that it is completely free, you don’t need any special equipment and it can be done anywhere that is relatively peaceful. Make time to find that place within during your lunch break, sitting in the park, library or a nearby church. You will be a calmer person and hopefully a nicer one too.